Finisterre by Sylvia Plath Themes

This was the land’s end: the last fingers, knuckled and rheumatic,
Cramped on nothing. Black
Admonitory cliffs, and the sea exploding
With no bottom, or anything on the other side of it,
Whitened by the faces of the drowned.
Now it is only gloomy, a dump of rocks —-
Leftover soldiers from old, messy wars.
The sea cannons into their ear, but they don’t budge.
Other rocks hide their grudges under the water.

The cliffs are edged with trefoils, stars and bells
Such as fingers might embroider, close to death,
Almost too small for the mists to bother with.
The mists are part of the ancient paraphernalia —-
Souls, rolled in the doom-noise of the sea.
They bruise the rocks out of existence, then resurrect them.
They go up without hope, like sighs.
I walk among them, and they stuff my mouth with cotton.
When they free me, I am beaded with tears.

Our Lady of the Shipwrecked is striding toward the horizon,
Her marble skirts blown back in two pink wings.
A marble sailor kneels at her foot distractedly, and at his foot
A peasant woman in black
Is praying to the monument of the sailor praying.
Our Lady of the Shipwrecked is three times life size,
Her lips sweet with divinity.
She does not hear what the sailor or the peasant is saying —-
She is in love with the beautiful formlessness of the sea.

Gull-colored laces flap in the sea drafts
Beside the postcard stalls.
The peasants anchor them with conches. One is told:
“These are the pretty trinkets the sea hides,
Little shells made up into necklaces and toy ladies.
They do not come from the Bay of the Dead down there,
But from another place, tropical and blue,
We have never been to.
These are our crêpes. Eat them before they blow cold.”

“Finisterre” by Sylvia Plath explores profound themes through vivid and haunting imagery, capturing the essence of the human experience in relation to nature, mortality, and spirituality. Plath’s poem delves into the complexities of life and death, the transient nature of existence, and the mysterious allure of the sea. Let’s explore these themes in simpler terms.

1. Confrontation with Mortality: In the opening lines, the poem introduces us to a desolate landscape, the land’s end, symbolizing the finality of life. The “last fingers, knuckled and rheumatic” suggest an aged, weathered existence clinging to nothingness. The sea, exploding with no visible end, is whitened by the faces of the drowned, emphasizing the grim reality of mortality. The leftover rocks become a metaphor for the remnants of past conflicts, remnants that withstand the sea’s onslaught.

2. Nature’s Relentless Power: The sea, depicted as a relentless force, cannons into the rocks, echoing the power of nature to withstand human remnants. The cliffs adorned with trefoils, stars, and bells showcase nature’s artistic touch, portraying a delicate beauty close to death. The mist, part of nature’s ancient paraphernalia, becomes a vessel for souls, resonating with the doom-noise of the sea. This theme reflects on the perpetual cycle of destruction and renewal in nature.

3. Existential Despair and Suffering: The poem paints a gloomy picture, describing the land as a “dump of rocks” and the sea as a relentless cannon. The rocks, personified, harbor grudges under the water, portraying a sense of enduring pain and unresolved conflicts. The souls in the mist bruise the rocks out of existence, only to resurrect them, highlighting the futility and cyclic nature of suffering.

4. Spiritual Longing and Disconnect: Our Lady of the Shipwrecked emerges as a symbol of spiritual contemplation. The statue, three times life size, with lips sweet with divinity, embodies a connection to the divine. However, the disconnect is evident as she is portrayed in love with the formlessness of the sea, seemingly indifferent to the prayers of the sailor and the peasant. This theme explores the yearning for spiritual connection amid a vast and indifferent universe.

5. Beauty Amidst Desolation: Gull-colored laces and postcard stalls introduce a contrasting theme of beauty amidst desolation. The local peasants, anchoring laces with conches, offer pretty trinkets made from shells. This imagery signifies the resilience of human creativity and the ability to find beauty even in the face of adversity. The reference to a tropical and blue place adds an exotic touch, emphasizing the allure of the unknown.

6. Transience and Impermanence: The closing lines emphasize the transient nature of life and experience. The trinkets, likened to crêpes, are to be enjoyed before they “blow cold,” suggesting the fleeting nature of joy and beauty. This theme underlines the importance of cherishing moments before they fade away.

In conclusion, “Finisterre” weaves a tapestry of themes that resonate with the human condition. From the inevitability of death and the power of nature to the spiritual longings of the soul, Plath’s poem invites readers to contemplate life’s complexities and find meaning amid the ebb and flow of existence.